Bright & Colorful Stained Glass Cookies

Stained glass cookies are not just another treat; they’re an activity. And since many people have their children home over the next couple of weeks, when camp has ended but school has not yet started, this seemed like a good week to share this recipe.

The idea is simple, but the possibilities are endless. You’re basically making shapes/designs that have some section cut out, which you fill with crushed candy which then melts in the oven, creating the stained glass effect.

A couple of tips to keep in mind:

The candy will spread when it melts in the oven, so you don’t need to stuff the cavities.

If you want to combine colors, choose colors that go well together. Like green-yellow-blue, red-yellow-orange, or red-blue-purple.

Start by dividing the candies by color and crushing them. If you prepare the candy in advance, stick it in the freezer until you’re ready to use. This prevents the pieces from sticking together too much.

You can use cookie cutters to make your shapes. Use a smaller shape to cut out the centers. The best way to do these is to cut out the shape and transfer it to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Then cut out the center and fill with candy. If you try to cut out the center first and then transfer it, it is more likely to break or stretch out of shape.

You can use cookie cutters, but they are not necessary. You can manage without—just shape the cookies freehand. You can even make a detailed scene like this. Once you’re happy with the way it looks, fill the holes with candy and bake. Children enjoy letting their imaginations run wild here—they can be busy for an hour or more, easily (depending on the child, obviously).

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter/margarine

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

Colored candies or lollipops

Directions:

Cream butter or margarine with sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix.

Add the salt, baking powder and flour—one cup at a time—until dough comes together. (As always when it comes to baking you may need slightly more or less flour, depending on many factors, including the weather.)

Refrigerate the dough for 1–2 hours.

While the dough is chilling, prepare the candy.

Unwrap the candies/lollipops and separate them by color. Place each color into a separate zip-top bag. If you bags are very thin, you may need to use a double bag.

Use a hammer or meat tenderizer to crush the candy into pieces. Pour each color out into a bowl and remove sticks (if using lollipops).

Roll the dough and cut the shapes of your choice. Transfer the shapes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then cut out the centers and fill with the candy.

Bake at 350° F for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the candy centers to harden fully before lifting the cookies off the parchment paper.

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Miriam Szokovski is the author of the historical novel Exiled Down Under, and a member of the Chabad.org editorial team. She shares her love of cooking, baking and food photography on Chabad.org’s food blog, Cook It Kosher.

To - So Cute
You could use chocolate. White, dark and milk chocolate give you three different colors. White chocolate also comes tinted into many colors for use in candy making. They will have a name like "candy melts". These could be chopped up and sprinkled in the same way.
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awesome ideas
I did this in the '70's as a girl scout. I made a giant heart, filled with lifesavers, and jolly ranchersI brought my cookie to my dad in the hospital, after he had double bi-pass surgery
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Clayton SlutskyNJAugust 16, 2015

It sounds simple but
It sounds simple. But simply eating a cookie can do miraculous things. Cookies , especially interestingly shaped or flavored ones, have an intrinsic connection to the divine source of all. Eating a special cookie can bring you closer to understanding god. Chocolate chip won't do, go for the black and whites, cinnamon raison, etc. The more creative, the better.
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ckAugust 12, 2015

How Fun!
What a great idea, so colorful and so much fun for the imagination. The additional idea of the tree/house etc, is great.Thank you
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